Poration



pri] 25, 1933. F, T |RGEN$ 1,905,096

BREAKER MECHANISM Filed Feb. 25, 1952 Patented Apr. 25, 1933 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE FINN' T. IRGENS, OF WAUWATOSA, W'ISOONSIN, ASSIGNOB TO OUTBOARD MOTORS COB- PORTION, OF MILWAUKEE WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN Mncmmsm This invention relates to improvements in breaker mechanism. It has particular reference to the mounting of such mechanism in a' manner to avoid erratic effects sometimes attributable to the association of breaker mechanism with a wobbling shaft.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide breaker mechanism wherein those portions of the apparatus which are usually fixed vmay be provided with a special mounting lwhich is arranged t0 take its position in accordance with the position of the shaft on which the breaker cam is mounted so that, notwithstanding any irregularity of shaft movement, the relatively fixed contact will always occupy the same predetermined relation to the axis of the shaft.

The invention has particular application to outboard motor organizations which are provided with starting motors assembled on the projected crank shaft at a point above the uppermost crank shaft bearing. In such structures there is a considerable length of crank shaft which is free to wobble abovel the bearing, and at high en ine speeds the irregular movement of the ree end of the shaft has been productive of extremely erratic timer action. By floating the fixed contacts of the breaker mechanism directly from the shaft, while nevertheless roviding for the mounting of 'such parts mdependently of the shaft, I have succeeded in overcoming the difliculties heretofore experienced in providing a dependably operative timer.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a vertical axial section through I have shown. at 5 the crank ease of an internal combustion engine to which this `particular embodiment of the invention is applied. Fastened to the crank case is a, motor housing 6 carrying the ield magnet 7 for the starting motor. The motor armature 8 and commutator 9 are mounted on crank shaft 10. Their length is necessarily such as to extend the crank shaft for a substantial distance above its upper bearing at 11.

The cam shaft 12 is conveniently mounted on the commutator in axial alignment with crank shaft 10. It may be slottedat 13 to receive a crank for emergency use. The cover shell 14 connected lwith housing 6 has a removable cap at 15 to expose the cam shaft and breaker mechanism. The cam shaft has concentric portions 16 and 17 and an intermediate slightly flattened cam portion 18 as shown best in Figs. 1 and 3.

The breaker mechanism which co-operates with the cam shaft is mounted for unitary oscillation on a disk or plate 20 which Vis k the1 timing adjustment thereof, as shown in Fig. 2.

The insulating blocks 25, which carry the relatively fixed contacts 26 are mounted between upper and lower arms 27 and 28 which lare unitarily movable as a lever upon fulcrum posts 29 which are carried by the timing disk 20. Each of the upper and lower arms 27 and 28 is provided with a socketed `portion32, and each socket carries a brush 33 of fiber or the like. The brushesA 33 ride' on the concentric portions 16 and .17 of the cam shaft extension 12 of the crank shaft, thereby determining the radial distance of the fixed contacts 26 from vlthe axis of the shaft, andmaintaining such distance const'ant irrespective of any wobbling of the shaft which may occur due to its heavy loadin and the distance to which it projects a ove the bearing 11.

Tension springs 35 and 36 connected with the lever arms 27 and 28 respectively, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, hold .the respective brushes 33. to the shaft and enable the fixed contact supports to follow all movements of the shaft which might otherwise affect the timing. In the course of any such movements the lever arms oscillate about posts 29 through which desired timin movements are readily communicated to t e relatively ixed contacts.

Pivoted by means of hub elements 37 from posts 29 are the breaker levers 38, each of which has an arm carrying the relative movable contact 39 and another arm registering with the cam portion 18 of the cam shaft and provided with a socketed portion 40 carrying a cam follower brush 41. When the flattened cam portion 18 of the cam shaft registers with either of the cam follower brushes 41, it allows the movable contact 39 to engage fixed contact 16 as shown in Fig. 3, thereby momentarily closing the electrical ignition circuit in the usual way. A tension spring at 43 holds the cam follower levers 38 and their respective cam follower brushes 41 to the cam 18.

Since both contacts take their relative positions from the shaft, it will be obvious that no wobbling or erratic movements of the shaft can in any way affect the relation of the contacts to each other. Thus, a regular predetermined timing is assured.

I claim: Y

1. In a timer mechanism, the combination with a cam shaft, a relatively fixed support, and breaker mechanism including relatively fixed and movable contacts, means yieldably mounting said relatively fixed contacts upon said support, means for governing the yielding movement of said relatively fixed contacts in accordance with erratic movements of said shell, and means for actuating the relatively movable contacts from said shaft whereby the several contacts are positioned as to timing by said support and are positioned entirely by said shaft in their movement to and from each other.

2. In a timer mechanism, the combination with a timer shaft having a portion concentric with its axis, of a support movable for timing and mounted independently of said shaft, a lever pivoted to said support and provided with means bearing against the concentric portion of said crank shaft, a relatively fixedA breaker contact carried by said lever, a second contact movable with respect to said relatively fixed contact, and means for actuating said movable contact from said shaft.

8. In a timer mechanism, the combination with a cam shaft provided with portions respectively concentric and eccentric with respect to its axis, of a pair of levers provided with means engaging the respective portions of said shaft, springs holding said lever carried means to said shaft, and contacts carried by the respective levers and movable relatively to each other solely in accordance with the variation in form between the eccentric and concentric portions of said shaft.

4. In a timer mechanism, the combination with a cam shaft having portions respectively concentric and eccentric with reference to the axis of the shaft, of a timing support mounted independently of said shaft and movable angularly, a fulcrum post upon said support, upper and lower levers provided with means engaging the relatively concentric portions of the shaft and fulcrumed to said post, springs pressing said means to said shaft, a relatively fixed contact carried by said levers and an intermediate lever provided with a spring, and cam follower means en aging the eccentric por tion of the shaf and having a relatively movable contact operable to and from engagement with said first mentioned contact in accordance with the eccentricity of said shaft portion.

5. In a timer mechanism, the combination with a cam shaft having portions respectively concentric and eccentric with reference to its axis, of a movable timer support provided with fulcrum means, levers pivoted on said fulcrum means and disposed at opposite sides of the shaft, spring meansfconnecting said levers, shaft engaging means carried by said levers and engaging the relative concentric portions of the shaft to determine the positions of said levers with respect to the shaft despite erratic movements thereof, relatively fixed contacts carried by said levers, and cam follower levers provided with relatively movable contacts and with cam follower means engaging the relatively eccentric portions of the shaft to receive motion therefrom.

6. The combination with a cam shaft having upper and lower portions concentric with its axis, and an intermediate portion concentric with reference thereto, of a plate oscillatable about the axis of said shaft for timing and provided with an independent mounting permitting such oscillation, fulcrum posts carried by said plate, upper and lower-lever arms mounted on said posts at opposite sides of said shaft and provided with means engaging the relatively concentric portions of the shaft, springs connecting opposite arms whereby tomaintain said means in contact with said shaft, intermediate lever' arms mounted on said posts between said first mentioned lever arms and provided with means engaging the relatively eccentric portion of the shaft, spring means connecting said intermediate lever arms, and electrical contacts carried by the arms respectively positioned by the eccentric and concentric portions of said shaft whereby to occasion movement of said contacts with reference-to each other, both of said contacts takingtheir relative positions in a radial direction entirely from said shaft' and in a timing direction entirely from said 5 support.

7. The combination with a shaft extended above its uppermost bearing, of a cam shaft extension including portions relativel concentric and eccentrlc with reference to t y axis 10 of said cam shaft extension, levers provided with shaft engaging means respectively associated with the concentric and eccentric portions of said cam shaft extension, and contacts'carried by the respective 'levers and 15 movable to and from engagement with each other in accordance with the variation in form between said shaft portions, both of said contacts taking their position of radial adjustment directly from said shaft whereby 2o to be unaffected by erratic movements thereof.

FINN T. IRGENS. 

